The back door of the smithy slammed open while Arwin had a pool of metal cupped in his palms, nearly causing him to fling it straight into the air. He and Lillia spun to find Reya standing in the doorway, her features pale. “An old dude just showed up with someone really sick and broke the door on the way in,” Reya said, speaking so quickly that her words overlapped each other. It took Arwin a second to decode what she meant. “He showed up with what?” Arwin asked. “Did you say he broke my door?” Lillia demanded. Arwin sucked the [Soul Flame] from his hearth and dropped the pool of metal to the side. The look in Reya’s eyes told him that there was no time to sit around talking. He and Lillia practically sprinted out of the smithy as they followed Reya back to the Devil’s Den. The door was indeed broken. It had cracked right down the middle. One half of it laid on the ground while the other hung crookedly from the hinges. Arwin shoved it out of the way as they all rushed into the inn. A young woman laid on the top of Lillia’s counter, her chest rising and falling with weak, wheezing breaths. Anna stood above her with her features twisted into a mask of concentration. Soft white light poured from her hands and into the girl’s body, making it glow like a torch in the night. The rest of the Menagerie was gathered around the table, watching her with concern — but they weren’t alone. Standing in the corner of the room, out of the way, was the drunkard. It was the first time Arwin had ever seen him hanging around in a group. “What happened?” Lillia asked as she rushed over to the table, her door completely forgotten. “I’m running out of energy here,” Anna said through gritted teeth, speaking for the first time since Arwin and Lillia had returned with Reya. “I think I’ve got the worst of it out, but this is beyond what I’ve dealt with before. She’s not going to be fully recovered.” “We’ve got something that might help. Will she be awake?” Lillia asked. “She’s already awake. She’s just doing nothing to conserve energy,” Anna replied. The energy pouring from her hands started to fade. Her eyes narrowed and the light intensified again, but it was clear she wasn’t going to be able to continue for much longer. “Someone’s taught this girl what to do when she was poisoned. That’s not common training.” “We can deal with who she is later,” Rodrick said. “Can we help in any way?” Anna nodded to Lillia’s food. “That. Her body needs energy. I just hope she’s got enough strength to eat. I’m going to rest as much as I can and then get back to work. The poison is still in her system, not to mention the damage it’s done to her body. I was focused on keeping it from spreading farther.” Lillia speared a piece of meat with her fork and held it out before her like a torch. “I’m ready. I’ll feed her.” The light pouring from Anna’s hands faltered. She stepped back, stumbled, and fell into Rodrick’s hands. She barely even seemed to notice. Her eyes were completely fixed on the girl on the countertop. The girl’s lips parted. Her eyes fluttered and she groaned, trying to form words. “Don’t talk. Just focus on eating. We’re going to help you sit up,” Reya said. She and Olive moved as one to help Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive! Lillia held the piece of meat out. To all of their relief, she seemed to have enough energy to eat. She opened her mouth and Lillia pushed the chunk of Wyrmling meat into it. The girl chewed, then swallowed. Her body stiffened in surprise. Then she opened her mouth again. Arwin and Lillia exchanged a glance. Then Lillia stabbed another chunk of meat and delivered the payload. The rest of the food followed in rapid succession. With every bite the girl took, more energy returned to her posture and color to her skin. Lillia’s food is really something else. Anna too. I don’t want to imagine how dangerous this poison was if their combined efforts are only barely keeping this girl alive. Once the plate was cleared, Reya and Olive lowered the girl back down. Her breathing had steadied and the wheezing had stopped completely. Anna got back up, waving Rodrick’s worried look away with a hand, and summoned healing light forth once more. “Where am I?” the girl asked, her voice still weak. “Who are you?” “Just rest,” Arwin said. He glanced over at the drunkard, who still watched quietly from the shadows. “You’re safe. Someone brought you to us. There’s a competent healer looking over you. You’re going to be okay.” I’m not sure if that’s true, but it’s not like I’m going to say anything else. “Thank you,” the girl murmured. “Is the white-haired man here too? He saved me.” “Yes,” Arwin said. “He’s here.” Her lips twitched in a smile and she let out a small sigh. “Good. I owe him. I owe you too.” “Don’t talk so much,” Anna said. “Rest. There’s just one thing that matters right now. Who are you, and why is someone trying to kill you? Should we prepare for them to try again?” A flicker of pain passed over the girl’s features. She hesitated for a second before answering. “My name is Melissa. I am… important. And yes. If my body isn’t found, more assassins will come. I’m sorry. You’ve done enough. I think I can move again. I won’t bring you any more trouble.” Melissa started to shift forward. “Lay down,” Anna barked with such authority that Arwin nearly followed her orders himself. “Anyone I am treating will not move until I have given them leave to do so.” Even as she spoke, she looked up to Arwin and Lillia with a question — and a command — in her eyes. It wasn’t her guild and it wasn’t her inn… but it didn’t matter. Arwin and Lillia nodded in conjunction. I’m not about to send someone out in this condition. It’ll take time for people to figure out she’s not dead yet if the assassin died as well. We can let her stay for at least a while, until we figure out what the hell is going on. “But—” Melissa started.